


Accolades and Ohana Part Two

by daffodil729



Series: Accolades and Ohana [2]
Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-30 16:00:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17227037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daffodil729/pseuds/daffodil729





	Accolades and Ohana Part Two

 

* * *

**Chapter 6: Chapter 6**

* * *

The ceremony started promptly at ten o'clock. Jack took to the podium to welcome family and friends, the brass, government officials, the media. "I should tell you at this point that if you have attended a Navy Cross ceremony before, this one will probably be nothing like it. You see, today is about awarding one of our own. That doesn't often happen. Usually we get the opportunity to present awards to men and women we've never had the opportunity to serve with or under, to train, to befriend. Today, as Secretary of the Navy, I am thankful and blessed to have that very opportunity. Today we will award the Navy Cross to Commander Steven J. McGarrett of the United States Navy. I had the pleasure of being Commander McGarrett's commanding officer for several years early in his career. More so, though, I have had the pleasure of being his mentor and friend. To understand the reason for the presentation of this prestigious award today, you'll be hearing from multiple people. At this time, I will turn the introductory remarks over to Ensign Jay Little."

There was a polite round of applause as Jay moved to the center of the stage.

"Fellas, I have the mic," he directed his comment toward Steve and the group of SEALs gathered around him, then looked at the larger group of people. "Y'all better settle in, because, boy, do I have a story to tell."

"My story starts before I was even born. My dad wanted to join the Navy. Dreamed of it as he grew up, wanted it so bad he could taste it. Right before he graduated from high school and could join, his own dad passed away. He was the oldest of a family of six. Leaving home wasn't an option anymore—he had to stay and help the family. You have to know the backstory to understand everything that came after, you see. I grew up in a very patriotic family. We were proud Americans, Texans, and nothing was finer than the US Navy. Pops was grinning from ear to ear the day I graduated from Annapolis. That was also the day we all met Commander Steven McGarrett for the very first time.

Commander McGarrett was there to give part of the commencement speech. I'd heard of him—who hadn't?—and I hung on his every word. I mean, this man standing before my graduating class was being talked about by COs as the best they'd ever seen. He ran black ops without a hitch. Worked the other side like it was nothing. That speech was nothing short of awe-inspiring. In fact, he got a standing ovation. At a graduation. I kid you not.

Now, friends, the best part about this is how absolutely _pissed_ he was that Jack here had sent him to give that speech. He was not there by his own will, that's for sure, even though everyone in attendance was none the wiser. Apparently, from what I came to understand much later, it was the result of a very large bet that went very wrong."

Jack and Steve were both laughing softly, remembering how angry McGarrett had been that day.

"But I digress. Afterwards, my parents and I happened to run into Commander McGarrett as he was leaving. It fueled my infatuation, sure, but it was love at first sight for both my parents. My pops, straight as the proverbial arrow, developed his first man crush that day. And mama? She was smitten. He was just so nice, she said, and had those blue eyes and those eyelashes that were just to die for. God, if I heard about that man's eyelashes once, I heard about them a thousand times." He paused for the crowd to laugh. "And he does have nice eyelashes. Not that I've paid attention, sir," he said to McGarrett, who shook his head and laughed.

"And so when I came out of BUD/s, and realized I was being assigned to his team, my family and I might have well as won the lottery. I bounded onto that plane headed for Afghanistan without a bit of hesitation. There was another team headed out at the same time and I was sharing the plane with them. They asked where I was headed and who my CO was. I proudly told them, puffing out my chest a bit I'm sure.

And they looked at me, chuckled, and said, "Buddy, you only _thought_ Hell Week was bad. McGarrett's like a never-ending Hell Week. Good luck to you."

I was a little taken aback by that statement, but it didn't dampen my excitement at all. No, sir. I was on my way to the big leagues.

When I got to the base, the commander's team was just coming back from a pretty tough mission. In hindsight, I should have waited. But I was just so dang excited, you know? I'm a SEAL and I'm on a team and I'm in the thick of things. So I see them coming into base, right? Bloody, bruised, dirty, just exhausted. And, like an idiot, I run to them. "Commander McGarrett," I say. "My name is Special Operator Jay Watson. I'm here to join your team, Sir." And I give the most perfect salute of my life, right? I mean, _this is my moment_. And I get no reaction from him at all, other than looking me up and down. And I'm nervous, right? So I do what I always do and start talking. I talk about the turbulence on the plane and how I was a little sore, how there was no in-air service, how I had to sit in one of the jump seats even though I was a SEAL and should have been able to put my hammock up front. I stretched a tiny bit and then asked where I could catch a shower—I felt a little dirty from my trip, you know. I was running to keep up with his stride by this point, still talking, and he just stopped. I kept complaining about how my back was sore from the flight. He looked me square in the eye and knocked the hell out of me. Never breaking eye contact, he says, "Now your jaw's sore, too," and walks off telling his 2IC to deal with that. The 2IC, a delightful guy named Scott Jackson, just glares at me, sarcastically thanks me for making his life so much harder, and runs to catch up to McGarrett. Each guy passes me, shaking his head like I just might be the biggest idiot they've ever seen until I found myself with the last guy to join the team. He wasn't happy about helping me, but he did it, and he gave me some pretty sound advice while he patched me up and showed me to my bunk: Don't talk to McGarrett when he first gets back from missions; don't talk to him first thing in the morning; avoid him like the plague if his sister Mary calls."

The crowd chuckled, especially those who knew Steve and Mary's often tumultuous relationship. Mary caught her brother's eye and grinned. Steve grinned back, winking.

"I followed Aaron Black's advice, kept my head down and my mouth shut, and never got popped in the mouth again.

"Being part of my hero's team was the most amazing thing I've ever done. That's not to say it was easy. Excuse the Naval pun here, but Commander McGarrett ran a tight ship, just like I'm sure he continues to do at Five-0. When we were getting ready to head into a mission, he developed this laser-like focus. Barely eating, barely sleeping, he lived that mission. He knew it backwards and forwards and upside down and he expected you to know it that way too. We never complained because he led from the front. He never asked us to do anything he wasn't already doing or wasn't willing to do alongside us. He was tight and he was tough, but, man, he was _good._ And, by default, so were we.

I will admit that I was intimidated by him. He laughed and talked with the others, even with Aaron some, but not me. I hadn't made it to that inner circle yet. I worked as hard as I could. It became my mission to make him proud of me. I know that sounds crazy coming from a grown man, but that's what a good leader does: They inspire you to the point where you want to be you best, every minute of every day.

"Not that he was perfect. He was—hell, still is—temperamental and moody, and he could be an _ass_. The strange thing was, any time you wanted to complain about him to somebody, the two of you could start, but then one of you would say "but…" and I'll be damned if you weren't talking about how yeah, he could be an ass, but he was damn good at what he did."

"The one time I complained to my pops about him on the phone, I was told that if I didn't do my absolute best and make that man proud, I'd better just not even come home.

See, folks, even my daddy loved him. Still does. Mama and Pops are here today." He pointed them out in the crowd. "But they also love him for another reason."

Jay took a deep breath.

"It was a clear February day when we were sent on a mission. From the start, everything was wrong. Our drop was rough. Our intel wasn't as solid as we'd been told it was. Our mission had been compromised and we walked into an ambush.

"The enemy had rigged doors, set trip wires, the whole nine yards. We were without communication and miles away from the exfiltration site. Steve was in bad shape; he'd busted some ribs and a shoulder on the drop in, probably had a concussion too, but the word 'quit' is not in that man's vocabulary and so the mission went on. We were there anyway, he said; might as well do what we could. And by "do what we could" he meant complete the mission. And we did. We kept on, we pushed back, we succeeded even when it looked like we wouldn't. The commander called for us to fall back and move out; mission accomplished. And then I stepped on that damn wire.

"I heard it click. I swear, it was as loud as thunder. I froze and broke out in a cold sweat. Commander McGarrett had been in front of me, and he froze as well. I guess it was a sixth sense kind of thing, but when he turned around, slow, I saw his eyes and I knew. I was in trouble. Big trouble.

"What happened next will be forever engrained in my mind. Sometimes, they say, in times of tremendous stress, you lose minutes, sometimes hours. Not so with this. I remember everything in living color.

_"Scott," Commander McGarrett said, using his 2IC's given name, not his code name. His voice was calm and steady, but Scott could hear something in it that made his blood run cold._

_"Steve? What is it?" Scott had turned around by this point, coming back to see what was wrong. "Ah, shit," he said when he realized what was going on. They both stood there, staring at me. "What're you thinking, boss?"_

_Steve's hands went to his hips. The others had gathered around by that point. The situation was hopeless. I knew it. They knew it. The only person who refused to believe it was Commander McGarrett. I was near tears, but trying so hard to hide it. "Just go, sir," I said. "I messed up. It's on me, sir. No one else needs to get hurt."_

_He didn't even act like he heard me._

" _Aaron," he said quietly. "You have com up and running?"_

" _Yes, sir," Aaron responded. Again, everyone recognized the use of given names._

" _I need Jack."_

" _Yes, sir."_ _Aaron set about getting Admiral Jack North on the phone. Admiral North was pulled out of a meeting in Washington, DC._

" _It's a call from down range, sir," the aide said. "Commander Steven McGarrett."_

_Jack's stomach dropped. "I'll take it in my office."_

" _Steve?" Jack's voice came over the com line._

" _Jack. I have a situation." He explained what had happened, then took a breath._

" _No," Jack said. "No. I know what you're thinking and no. I forbid it. I won't allow it."_

" _Jack…" Steve said quietly._

" _It is not your damn place to save them all! You don't have to do this!"_

" _Yeah, well. Lead from the front and all that shit, right?"_

_Jack snorted. "Shut up. And you're not calling to say goodbye, you hear me? Because I am going to kick your ass for this as soon as I see you. You will not deny me that."_

" _Aye aye, Captain," Steve replied, referring back to the officer's title when Steve first met him._

" _Fair winds and following seas, sailor."_

" _Love you, Jack."_

" _Love you, Steve."_

Hearing Jay talk about that conversation left the group of SEALs looking at the floor, at the sky, anywhere but at each other. It was nearly too much. Steve shifted in his seat and Callie smoothed her hand against his jacket sleeve.

Jay cleared his throat, then continued. "I had listened to the whole conversation, but didn't understand what was happening. I looked at the rest of the team.

_Steve was taking off his helmet and vest._

" _What's he doing?" I asked._

_I was greeted by silence and somber faces. Finally, Aaron took pity on me and answered. He smiled sadly. "He's going to take your place."_

_I tried to talk him out of it. This was my mess. I wasn't being careful enough. I wasn't watching. I had let my guard down. But he wouldn't hear it._

_He shook his head. "You're one of mine, Jay."_

Jay stopped speaking to wipe tears. "I swore I wouldn't cry. But that—that was something else. For someone to willingly lay down their life for yours. The Bible says there's no greater love than when one friend will lay down his life for another." Jay's voice broke. "And that day, Commander Steven McGarrett laid his down for me."

"I watched each of his men go to him. No one said they were saying goodbye, but that's what this was. It was goodbye, and they knew it.

"He made his weight as close to mine as possible, and, very, very carefully, he transferred his weight onto the trip wire while I transferred mine off. He nodded once at the group of us after checking his watch. He smiled at us, no sign of fear at all. "Exfil site. Now. Don't miss that flight out, boys."

"We stood there, not wanting to move. Not knowing _how_ to move. All of your training has said no man left behind, and then there you are—leaving your CO standing on a trip wire that he hadn't even tripped. Scott told him he wasn't leaving. Commander McGarrett very rarely pulled rank. He always acted like he was part of the team, just like everyone else, and, even though he was obviously in charge, he always did it in a way that made you feel respected. He pulled rank that day though, and Scott would not disobey a direct order." Jay shook his head. "Leaving was probably the hardest thing I've ever done in my entire life.

"We kept listening for the explosion, kept waiting. Scott, who had been with McGarrett longer than any of us, finally said—'You're not going to hear it. He won't step off of it until he knows we're gone. He's not going to put that on us.'

"We didn't talk as we hiked to the exfil site. We didn't talk on the helo. We didn't talk during the debriefings. What was there to say? We'd left a man behind, a man who'd exchanged his life for mine."

Jay cleared his throat. "The area was packed with hostiles, and it was only a matter of time before a group came through and found Commander McGarrett. For anyone else, this would have been one more hit to add to the hell he was in. For McGarrett, though, it was an opportunity. You see, McGarrett, if you don't know, has a gift. He has a gift in the realm of bullshit. He can write it and he can talk it, and he can convince you of anything. _Anything._ Even if you know it isn't true, and you tell yourself that when you feel yourself start to fall for it, you still can't help it. It just happens. The SecNav there always said McGarrett could sell ice to an Eskimo, and he's probably right. So this group of insurgents come through, McGarrett speaks their language, and is able to convince them that a) he is harmless, and b) he can help them if they can disable the trip wire. They're familiar with this type of wire, so it takes them only minutes to disable it. Just like it only takes Commander McGarrett minutes to neutralize the threat. There were seven of them. He survives, shoulders and ribs still a mess, but nothing worse and sits, trying to figure out a plan for evac. A sixteen year old boy comes to him then. He watched the whole thing, because he'd been with the men. He tells the commander this, tells him how he'd been taken from his home over a year ago. He sits with Commander McGarrett for a while, then says, 'I need to show you something.'

"Commander McGarrett didn't have to trust this boy, didn't have to help him. A lot of people would probably say he shouldn't have. But that's who he is. And so Commander McGarrett went with him. But there's someone else who knows this part of the story better than me." He paused. "Allow me to introduce Akrim Abadi."

* * *

**Chapter 7: Chapter 7**

* * *

Akrim Abadi grinned from ear to ear as he took to the podium. "Commander McGarrett! Hello!"

Steve grinned, completely surprised, and nodded at Akrim.

"When the United States Navy called my home one day, I thought, 'What in the world? What would the Navy need with Akrim?' and then I started talking to a man named Jack. Jack explained that it was all about my dear friend Commander McGarrett and him receiving an award for what happened on the day that changed my life. And so I said to my wife and sons, We must go! I owe this man my life! And they knew his name well because we talk about him often. My sons have heard the story perhaps a thousand times by now. They tell me they've passed on the story to their friends. And so they should. Because when you have the story of good that I have, you must share it. It must go on and on. Because the good is what matters in this world, in this life.

"Commander McGarrett asked me how I knew I could trust him. My father trusted the Americans. He believed in the good they were trying to do. He always told me, 'Akrim, if you find yourself needing help, you find one of those men in those uniforms. They are good. But those men with the eagles?' Akrim tapped his chest where the trident was worn on the SEALs' uniforms. 'They are the best.' They were like—what you say?— _super heroes._ But with no capes! Though I think the Commander's team would probably appreciate a good cape or two." The crowd laughed. "I want to tell you my story about why Commander McGarrett is a super hero.

"The Commander agreed to come with me so I could show him. We walked to a truck—the same truck I'd come from with the men—and I took him to the back. I rolled up the door and showed him what I wanted him to see—the boys who were going to be turned into soldiers or would have bombs strapped to their chests. The boys who, like me, had been stolen from their families in the night. I told him, I said, 'Please, sir, I have been praying for help and you have been sent. You are our only hope. Please help us.' You see, he didn't have to. He could have said no. He could have taken the easy way out. But he did not. Because good is not always easy. But he was—is—good and he said yes." Akrim chuckled. "He said yes even though he really did not like children at that time in his life. They made him nervous." The crowd laughed again as Steve hung his head and nodded in acknowledgement. "He said yes even though they were dirty and smelled and— _horror_ for him—cried often. The truck was nearly out of gas, and we were along a well-traveled road. We would be found soon. The commander and I worked together to get the boys off the truck a few at a time. We had to be careful—no one could be seen. He found a cave and hid them there, then returned for more. He muttered something about how it was like a hundred and one damn Dalmatians. I didn't understand that at the time because I didn't know the movie, but I figured it out recently and oh how I laughed! The boys were amazed that he spoke Arabic and spoke it well. They were fascinated by him, as was I. Night fell and there were sounds of war in the distance, but I knew we were safe. The boys were growing hungry and thirsty. Commander McGarrett had given away everything he had, but he knew we had to find help soon. He had no communication, no options, and over a hundred children.

"He made the only decision he could—to start walking. He hoped to run into a convoy, he said. If not, it was over one hundred miles to the nearest base, the base where he was stationed. These miles were not flat. They were over mountains. Through valleys. In enemy territory. And he did it willingly, without a single thought to himself. He wrote coordinates on a piece of paper with a note before zipping it into his chest pocket. The coordinates of the cave. He was making provisions in case he didn't make it. It was written in code. The enemy would not be able to use it against him if it came to that. I hugged him then, harder than I had ever hugged anyone in my life, and then I started praying and didn't stop until I saw him again."

* * *

Jay and Akrim shook hands and changed places again. "This is where my part of the story picks up again. We were…a mess. We had never been in a situation like this before. What do you do without your CO? Your leader? Your brother? You lose your shit. Or at least that's what we did. As soon as we got back to base that day, we were working to get him back. We couldn't leave him there…in any shape. The biggest worry was that he had been captured. The wire had clearly been disabled. He wouldn't have been able to do that alone. It didn't add up. There were no other friendlies in the area. Jack flew in. No expense was going to be spared. Come hell or high water, he was going to be found.

"And we did find him. Found him when he walked his handsome ass right through the front gates of the base. Shoulder was wrecked and needed surgery, busted ribs were worse, severely dehydrated…but alive.

"He immediately told us about these kids in a cave. And we immediately looked at each other and shook our heads sadly. Our poor commander was hallucinating. Had to be, right? Because this story was too much. There's just no way.

"The commander is determined he's going to see this through and tells the medic who's treating him that he can either take the IV out of his arm or get the hell on the helo with us. Medic opts for the helo because he's convinced McGarrett is going to drop at any moment and off we go. And I'll be damned, there they are. McGarrett's hundred and one Dalmatians. Hungry, thirsty, and scared, but fine.

"He single-handedly not only saved my life that day, but the lives of over one hundred children. These children, Commander McGarrett, were given the chance to grow up because of you," Jay cleared his throat, trying to talk past the emotion. "Because of your sacrifice that day, families were made whole again." He pointed to a screen behind him where pictures of young men of all different ages were flashing. "Akrim put all this together. Those boys became fine members of society, Commander McGarrett. They became teachers, doctors, pastors, farmers, fathers, husbands, store owners, council members… _not a single one became an insurgent, Steve_. When they were old enough to choose, not a single one chose that life. And every single one says it's because of you."

The group gathered for the ceremony was silent. Not a single eye was dry as they watched the commander lean forward, rest his forearms on his thighs, hang his head and weep.

* * *

**Chapter 8: Chapter 8**

* * *

Callie reached over and rubbed Steve's back. She felt his breath hitching under her hand as he tried to get his emotions back under control.

"Hey, it's okay, babe," she whispered. "It's okay."

After a few more sniffles and a deep, shuddering breath, he sat up and looked at Callie. He gave her a tiny smile.

"Sorry," he whispered. "It just…got me.  I'm good now."

Protocols and PDA rules be damned, she thought, putting her hands on his face and wiping his tears before putting her forehead close to his. "I love you and your big heart, Steven McGarrett," she said softly.

Jay stood beaming at him from the stage, his own eyes bright with tears but a huge grin on his face. "And now, it is with great pride and pleasure and a whole hell of a lot of love that I turn this over to the Secretary of the Navy for the citation and presentation of the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander Steven J. McGarrett."

Jack stood and took center stage, then nodded to Steve. "Commander."

Steve saluted Jack and stood at attention as the citation was read aloud by another officer. A third officer stood to the side and opened a thin, polished wooden box, revealing the medal inside. Jack took the medal out, pinned it to Steve's lapel, and stepped back. He gave a straight, perfect salute to his mentee, the man he'd trained, the man he'd treated like a son for years. Then he hugged him, hard, to the applause of the crowd.

Jack turned back to the audience. "When I thought about how to end this, there was only one way that made sense." He gave a nod to Steve as he began. " _In times of war or uncertainty there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our Nation's call. A common man with uncommon desire to succeed._

_Forged by adversity, he stands alongside America's finest special operations forces to serve his country, the American people, and protect their way of life."_

Steve had realized he was reciting the SEAL Creed, and he joined in, voice strong and sure.

" _I am that man."_

Throughout the audience, SEALs began to stand and join in, beginning with Steve's team and then others. Danny had never seen anything like it, turning in his seat to take it all in. Junior stood proudly, thankful to be a part of this elite group of special operators, but even more grateful to be working for Commander McGarrett.

" _My Trident is a symbol of honor and heritage. Bestowed upon me by the heroes that have gone before, it embodies the trust of those I have sworn to protect. By wearing the Trident I accept the responsibility of my chosen profession and way of life. It is a privilege that I must earn every day._

_My loyalty to Country and Team is beyond reproach. I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow Americans always ready to defend those who are unable to defend themselves. I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions. I voluntarily accept the inherent hazards of my profession, placing the welfare and security of others before my own._

_I serve with honor on and off the battlefield. The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from other men._

_Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character and honor are steadfast. My word is my bond._

_We expect to lead and be led. In the absence of orders I will take charge, lead my teammates and accomplish the mission. I lead by example in all situations._

_I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight._

_We demand discipline. We expect innovation. The lives of my teammates and the success of our mission depend on me – my technical skill, tactical proficiency, and attention to detail. My training is never complete._

_We train for war and fight to win. I stand ready to bring the full spectrum of combat power to bear in order to achieve my mission and the goals established by my country. The execution of my duties will be swift and violent when required yet guided by the very principles that I serve to defend."_

"Wow," Will whispered to Grace, awed by the men around him and the words of the Creed.

"Yeah," she agreed.

_Brave men have fought and died building the proud tradition and feared reputation that I am bound to uphold. In the worst of conditions, the legacy of my teammates steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed._

_I will not fail."_

"Hoo-yah!"

The audience cheered.

* * *

Steve made his way slowly through the crowd. It hadn't been fifteen minutes since the ceremony had ended and he had started down the greeting line, and he was growing restless already. He hated this part of medal ceremonies, hated the obligatory small talk and fake smiles and feigned interest in what the other person was saying.

He got to Admiral Whitaker's wife and she grinned. She and Steve had attended many functions similar to these in the past and had found they had the same opinion of them.

"Having fun yet, Commander?' the elderly lady knowingly. She was easily old enough to be Steve's grandmother, but her mind was sharp and her humor was quick.

"Absolutely," Steve replied, giving her his best fake smile.

She laughed again. "I started out the day with mimosas and I brought my own goods to nip on during the ceremony," she said, secretly showing Steve a flask hidden in her purse.

"You have lost your mind!" he chuckled, kissing her cheek.

"Ah, you're just mad because ol' Jack there had you on a tight leash this morning. Did you even get coffee? Or did he think it would just wire you more?"

"One cup."

"See! I knew it! You need any of this to make it through the rest of the line and all that small talk?"

"Nah," Steve replied. "Thanks for the offer though."

"You just remember I've got it," she said knowingly. "These things go on forever."

He grimaced. "I know. Alright, I better move on," he said, giving her a quick hug. "You be good."

"Always, Commander," she winked. "Always."

* * *

Steve made it through the rest of the line without incident and breathed a sigh of relief as he went to find his teams—both SEAL and Five-0.

He had just made eye contact with them and started to head that way when a voice spoke up from behind him, effectively stopping him in his tracks.

"Hey, Sailor."

_Catherine._

* * *

**Chapter 9: Chapter 9**

* * *

Steve turned to face her.

"Catherine," he said, voice and expression neutral.

Catherine was a bit disappointed in the lack of reaction from him. She thought her surprise attendance would have thrilled him.

"I couldn't miss this, Steve," she said, smiling broadly. "The Navy Cross? What an honor. I wanted to be here to support you. Congratulations." She laid a hand on his arm. He was too much of a gentleman to embarrass her, but he casually stepped away, removing himself from her touch. She recognized what he'd done at once, and she felt the sting of rejection.

"Thank you," he said kindly, expression still not giving anything away. "And it is an honor. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get to the reception."

With that, Steve turned to go, but Catherine caught his elbow. "Steve, wait. I thought maybe we could catch up while I'm here? Go surfing, get some dinner? I've missed you."

Steve shook his head. "No, Catherine. That time has long passed. It's good to see you, thank you for coming, but no. There was a time when I would have given anything for this, but not now."

She looked down, surprised by his blunt honesty. Somehow, she'd always figured he'd be there whenever she was ready. Whenever she got ready to settle down, when she was willing to put him before her career, he'd be there waiting. That's what she'd always told herself, and she was certain it was true.

But it wasn't. Here she was, ready to give their relationship a go again and he'd shut her down completely without even hearing her out.

She took a long look at him. "You look good," she said quietly. "You look happy." And he did. His eyes were light and untroubled, his brow smooth and not furrowed. His smile was familiar and boyish, one she hadn't seen since their early years of dating, and you couldn't help but smile along with him. He was obviously still working out and eating well, and it showed.

He smiled at her observation. "I _am_ happy. Work's good, team's good. Kono and Chin, well, you know Chin got an offer he couldn't refuse and Kono is making a huge difference in sex trafficking cases on the mainland. We found replacements for them and they're fantastic. They really are. Danno's good, Grace and Charlie are growing up too fast, but, man, they're such great kids."

"And you?" she questioned.

"And me? I met and fell in love with a great girl. I've never felt so…content, you know? Just happy. She gave me a puppy, which I never expected and didn't even know I wanted, but he's awesome. We got engaged a while back, and we're still trying to find the right date for the wedding. Both of our schedules are busy—she's a doctor—and so coordinating has been a little tough, but we'll get there." He grinned and shook his head. "Anyway…I gotta go. They've been waiting a while." He motioned to his left, where his friends were gathered waiting on him.

"Oh, right. Do you think they'd mind if I said hi? I haven't seen them since…" she trailed off.

Yes, Steve knew. She hadn't seen them since the last time she just up and left.

"Oh, I'm sure they'd like that," Steve said, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling.

_This should be fantastic._

* * *

"What the _hell_ is she doing here?" Danny growled as he glared at the woman talking to Steve.

The group looked in the direction he was facing.

"Oh this is nice," Lou said. "I'd love to hear how that conversation is going."

"Who is that?" Tani asked.

"That's Catherine," Kono answered. "She and Steve were…something…for years. Not consistently because they were both in the Navy and then he came here, but then she left the Navy and was able to live here. Then, all of a sudden, she decides she has to help a family and leaves for a long time after nearly getting Steve killed. She comes back, we think everything is settled, Danny even talks to her to see what her plans are and really thinks she's staying this next thing we know, she has joined the CIA and is on ops overseas."

"Whoa," Tani commented.

"Yeah, whoa," Kono agreed. "The fact that Doris had something to do with it didn't make things any better either."

"Hey, where is Doris, by the way?" Renee asked. "Does she know about the medal?"

"Deep undercover," Callie said. "Not that Steve tried really hard to get in touch with her. You know how that goes."

The group nodded.

"Anyway, you know how we are about ohana," Kono continued, shrugging. "She crossed all of us that last time."

"You knew about all this, right?" Kono asked Callie.

"Yep. Steve and I have no secrets."

"They're coming this way," Chin mused. "She really wants to see us?"

"Well, yeah. In her mind, she's done nothing wrong," Kono said. "I'm sure she expected just to pick up where they left off." She looked at Callie. "We like you so much better."

Callie laughed. "Thanks, Kono."

"But you still better not hurt him."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"Hey, guys," Catherine said, walking up to the group. Her voice was slightly nervous and her smile a little unsure. "Long time no see, right?"

"Huh," huffed Danny. "Wonder whose fault that is?"

Steve continued to bite the inside of his mouth. The ohana was loyal…and not so quick to forgive those who hurt a friend.

Catherine tried her best to continue smiling. "It's good to see all of you again. Look at you, Charlie," she said, turning to the youngest of the group. "You've grown so much! And Gracie, you're just beautiful."

"Thank you," Grace said. "But it's Grace. Only Uncle Steve calls me Gracie. Everyone knows that. Even Will knows he can't do it." She smiled sweetly. "Have you met Aunt Callie?"

Steve beamed. Grace had only asked him last week if he thought Callie would be okay being addressed as 'Aunt Callie' or if she just needed to leave that alone. Even though Steve had told Callie about the conversation, the teen hadn't yet used the affectionate name until now. Grace moved to stand beside Callie.

"No, I haven't," Catherine said quietly.

Callie smiled sincerely. "Hi. I'm Callie Ryan. Catherine, right? It's nice to meet you." She stuck out her hand and Catherine took it numbly, taking time to notice the diamond on the other hand.

Just then, Jack whistled and motioned that they were needed at the reception.

"I'm sorry," Callie said apologetically. "I hate we didn't get time to talk. I hope you enjoy your time here, and I hope you have a good trip back to…wherever it is you go next. It was good to meet you. It's nice to put a face with a name, you know?"

"Sure," Catherine mumbled. "Likewise."

Catherine watched Steve bend down and lightly kiss Callie's cheek before putting her hand through his left arm. She smiled up at him, and the look between them was just…perfect. It was the kind of love you dreamed about when you were a little girl, and he most certainly fit the role of Prince Charming.

The group walked towards the reception hall, while Danny lagged behind. He'd been watching her, and knew she'd seen the exchange between Steve and Callie.

"She seems nice," Catherine said quietly.

"Callie? She's fantastic. They really are perfect for each other. He's happy, Cath. Really happy."

"That's good. He deserves it."

"You thought he'd always wait. And he did, for a long time. Too long, in my opinion. I'm not sure what you're doing here, or what you were hoping to accomplish, but you need to go. You being here isn't good for anyone involved.  And you're right--he does deserve to be happy." He turned to walk away. "Bye, Catherine."

"Bye, Danny. You take care of him."

Danny tossed a carefree grin over his shoulder. "I always do."

* * *

**Chapter 10: Chapter 10**

* * *

Mary McGarrett watched her brother with a sense of pride and…what was that? Awe? Wonder? She didn't know exactly how to describe it. She admired the way he was able to work a room, how his presence demanded attention. He moved in a way that was self-assured, cocky even. People were drawn to him. That's the way he always had been, even when they were children.

She smiled at him from across the room and he winked at her, smiling back, as he continued his conversation with yet another man in uniform. She was thankful for her relationship with him, and thankful Joanie would grow up knowing her uncle. For a while there, honestly, she wasn't sure if she'd ever see him again. Her dad's choice to send them to the mainland had been detrimental to the once close relationship they'd had growing up. Between their mother's (staged) death and that, they were kind of destined to grow apart. Where Steve used the experiences to be more perfect than he already was, she…didn't. He excelled in everything he did, hoping, at least in Mary's opinion, that it would make their dad proud enough to be a little more involved. Maybe even show up for a family weekend sometime. Mary knew he never did though, just like she knew she and Aunt Deb were only able to go to one family weekend in all those years. At the time, she didn't realize what those weekends must have felt like to her brother, but now she knew and it broke her heart. She knew her dad had done what he thought was best at the time, but, man, he'd messed their family up. Not that their mom faking her own death helped any. She sighed. They'd gone through some rough patches, and she'd had to call him to get her out of trouble more than once, but he'd never let her down. He had always helped, always done exactly what he said he would, always been there for her. She was the one who could be flakey, but she'd been better about that, she thought, since she'd adopted Joanie. He was a very independent person, and it wasn't like he ever needed her help, but she was trying to be a person he knew he could count on. She _wanted_ to be that person for him. And, sure, they argued. She was a free spirit and he was very much in control. He was stubborn and didn't mind telling her exactly what she should or should not be doing, and she'd called him self-righteous on more than one occasion. But if there was one thing they had learned during their lifetime, it was loyalty. She could say whatever she wanted to about him, but the minute someone else criticized him, she would spring to his defense. He had reacted to her adopting Joanie the way she thought he would, but he'd calmed down and eventually even told her she was doing a good job. Her brother's approval and praise meant the world to her, and he was a great uncle. Sometimes she wished she lived in Hawaii so she and Joanie could be closer to him. Maybe one day.

She watched Callie loop her arm through his and smile up at him. Mary liked her—a lot. She was funny and real, and she kept her brother in line. She was floored when Steve called her to say he had proposed, but she was so thrilled for him. After everything he'd been through, all the times he'd put everyone else before himself, and all the good he'd done, he deserved all the happiness in the world.

* * *

"Hey," Steve said, finally making it to the table where the others were. He flopped into the seat at his placecard, sighing and smiling.

"Hey," Danny said, looking up and grinning. "We were just wondering if we'd ever see you again."

"Looked doubtful there for a while, didn't it?"

"Apparently you have lots of people who want to talk to you."

Steve made a face, and the group laughed. They knew how he felt about small talk at these types of events. The large table was filled with a mix of Five-0 and SEALs. The table to the left held Mary and Joanie, Callie's parents, Chin and his family, and Kono and Adam. At the table to his right sat Akrim and his family, Jack and Sally, and a few more SEALs.

From his spot at the table, he leaned and spoke to Akrim. He'd been able to talk with him briefly after the ceremony. The friends and family who knew Steve only from Hawaii looked up in surprise as he spoke in fluent Arabic to Akrim's family.

"That's cool," Will said aloud.

"It is," Jay agreed. "He's good at languages, and good at picking up the dialect of whatever part of the country he's in. That's part of the reason he was so good at working the other side."

"What does that mean?"

"Uh…" Jay realized he'd probably said too much. "It's just a type of mission. Classified." He shrugged, hoping Will would buy his classified comment and let it rest.

Thankfully, he did just that and moved on to languages. "So you said he was good at languages. How many does he speak?"

"Fluently? Six. He can hold his own in several others though, and knows enough to get by in a good many."

"Wow. I didn't know that."

"Yeah. I don't know how he keeps them separate."

"What languages does he speak?"

"Ah, let's see…" Jay thought, "Arabic, obviously, Pashto, Mandarian, Korean, Japanese, Italian, some Chinese, I think…Russian…there's a lot. Some he learned for missions, but a lot was from Naval Intelligence."

"Cool," Will said, gaining even more respect for his dad's boss and friend.

* * *

The reception was a long affair. Lunch was served in courses and there were several speeches. The SEALs had been right—even at lunch, alcohol was flowing freely. Day drinking was apparently not a problem for the Navy. As lunch was beginning to wind down, a jazz band started playing.

"Would you like to dance?" Steve asked Callie.

"I'll never say no to that," she said with a smile.

He was easy to dance with, a natural, and led effortlessly. As they spun around the dance floor, Callie felt like it was the first time she'd had him to herself all day. Taking advantage of the brief respite from people, she breathed him in deeply and sighed.

"Are you sniffing me, Dr. Ryan?" he asked, a smile in his voice.

"I am," she said, eyes closed. "You always smell so good."

He laughed softly.

"Today has been good," she said. She touched the new medal on his uniform. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," he murmured softly. "And it has been good. Better than I expected." He sighed heavily. "I'm over it though. I wish there wasn't anything else after this."

"It's a small thing, though, right?"

"Yeah, but it's still dress attire. I'd be much happier just skipping it. I don't mind hanging out with the group—I've barely had a chance to speak to them today—but I'd much rather do it at home than the Hilton, you know?"

Callie shrugged. "Then skip it."

Steve snorted. "Yeah? Just like that?"

"Sure."

Steve thought for a minute. "I wonder how many people I'd piss off?"

"Since when have you cared about that?"

Steve made a face at her and she laughed, then lowered her voice as she stood on her tiptoes to reach his ear. "Not to mention, I'd like some time with you too, Commander. And I don't really care who you piss off as long as I get what I want."

She heard his breath catch. "Ah, hell, Cal…"

* * *

"Jack, who's on the list for tonight?" Steve asked as they returned to the table several songs later.

"I knew it!" Jack said, grinning. "Pay up, boys!"

Steve looked at him quizzically before Scott volunteered the information. "There's been a running bet as to when you'd bow out. This was Jack's hour."

Steve rolled his eyes as the members of Five-0 laughed. "How many times have y'all bet on me?" he grumbled at his former team.

"More than you want to know, probably," Scott replied, grinning. "It's a fun game. You're so predictable, yet you're not. Makes things interesting."

Jack shook his head. "We all knew you didn't want this in the first place, but you've been a good sport. We knew it would have to end sometime though." He smiled at Steve and patted him on the back. "I've already made arrangements, son. Really, the only people on the list were your people, plus the governor and a few of the higher ups from Pearl, so it wasn't too hard to make the changes and everyone understood. Or at least they told the SecNav they understood," he laughed. "The catering will be the same, but it will be at your house. The Navy's handling tables, chairs, serving, clean up, all that…only thing that's really changed is the location and a modified guest list. Is that okay?"

To the amusement of the group, Steve's relief was obvious. "Are you kidding? It's perfect."

Jack looked at the group, still smiling. "We thought you'd say that."


End file.
